Want More Buy In? Start Letting People Weigh In

I love leading. There is nothing more exciting than helping people go to a place that they wouldn’t have gone to without your help – that’s the essence of leadership. Remember, if people would get there on their own, they wouldn’t need any leaders. But, one thing that can always derail momentum is people executing a plan they don’t believe in. If you want more buy-in, let people weigh in.

Let People Speak First

If you’re the senior most voice in the room, people will gravitate to your voice. No matter their opinion, after you speak, people will usually agree with you and run with your idea. If you’re the smartest person in the room and always going with your ideas, there’s no reason for a meeting. Instead, take time to let the people speak their opinion. This will give them a chance to share what they really think without the risk of them going against you.

Agree and Commit

The most important practice you can institute is to agree and commit. This means no matter what is decided that when the people leave the room, they agree and commit – their idea or not. The best way to model this is to decide on an idea that isn’t yours (and one you may not even like) and sell out to it. Walk out of that room and sell it to everyone else like it was your own idea. This will show people exactly how they can do it too.